Microsoft Instills Loyalty

The VARBusiness 2005 Annual Report Card (ARC) surveyed 5,400 solution providers regarding their satisfaction with vendor partners. Microsoft's scores, specifically, tell a story of loyal solution providers across multiple technology categories.

Interestingly, at times Microsoft captured first place for Loyalty even though the vendor didn't come in first place for the overall categories. For instance, in the Server Operating Systems category, Microsoft's Windows Server 2003 and Windows Small Business Server 2003 placed second and third, respectively. Its Loyalty scores, however, were stronger, with a first-place win for Windows Server 2003 and a tie for second place for Windows SBS.

Other times, Microsoft's Loyalty win was in sync with an overall win: The software behemoth took first place for Loyalty in the Data Management Software category, while also tying for first place overall with IBM. In Web Infrastructure & Integration Software, Microsoft also tied for first in Loyalty while winning the overall category.